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Friday, 25 December 2009

This just confirms exactly what I have been saying about Bulgaria in the EU for years. There is hardly anything positive about it for the majority of Bulgarians and of course Bulgarians do not get the full benefit of being able work in any EU country. It is more like Bulgaria being a second string EU member. Many wish that they had not joined and some are even pushing for withdrawal form the EU although I cant’ see that ever happening. Like all political promises of the good life that will transform Bulgaria made when joining the EU, it is riddled with lies.

If you do not see that many, or any, smiling faces on the streets of Bulgaria as people head out with grim determination to do Festive Season shopping, a new poll may suggest the reason.

According to a poll presented in Sofia on December 23 2009, about 22 per cent of Bulgarians currently described themselves as happy – though, notably enough, that figure is four per cent higher than it was in 2007, pre-credit crunch days.

Close to 17 per cent of Bulgarians were unhappy while the poll, as reported by Bulgarian news agency BTA, found that 61 per cent said that they were neither happy nor unhappy.

Which, if in paraphrase of the carol only 22 per cent of Bulgarians let nothing them dismay, as they trudge the sludge on the way to what is meant to be a Merry Christmas, may account for the lack of smiles.

It may be disillusionment about the European Union, apparently, too.

ASSA-M polling agency said the previous day that 40 per cent of Bulgarians regarded the country’s membership of the EU as "futile", Darik Radio said.

The pollsters questioned 1180 Bulgarians aged 18 to 60, who said that while they saw the benefits of the country’s membership of the EU as high living standards, justice, order, security and free travel – but the actual benefits were concentrated solely in the capital city, Sofia.

Yet, the survey found, Bulgarians saw in EU membership a number of negatives – high prices, inflation, crime, prostitution, illegal trafficking in people and drugs, severe regulations and restrictions.